Common Territory Different Maps: The Archetypal Underpinnings of Religious Practice

Jung described the world religions as the “great therapeutic systems” developed by humankind to mediate and contain the profound experience of encounter with the numinous. Jung believed that every religious tradition finds its roots in the archetypal realm, wherein lies the diversity of patterns that give expression to the “religious instinct” which evolves into religious practice.

This set, led by Jungian analysts who teach from their own religious orientations, explores the evolution and meaning of the tenets of a variety of world religions. Through careful consideration of various central themes common to religious experience (for example, methods of practice, the role of authority, gender roles, attitude toward the material world), this course offers the listener an insightful viewing of the ways in which the religious impulse has taken form and shaped culture and individuals alike.